Construction Products Regulation (CPR)


What is Construction Products Regulation (CPR)?

Construction Products Regulation (CPR) covers the different aspects of products such as electrical cables used in the construction industry but focuses on what happens when they are exposed to fire. Products are tested and certified with a Euroclass ranging from A to F depending on their flame characteristics.

It means that when buildings are being built the Architect/ Building Contractor can make an informed decision about the products they use. They need to understand that if there was a fire, would the products they use either slow/speed up the spread of fire. In July 2017, this extended to Cables. Any products already on the market prior to this date can continue to be sold and supplied without reference to CPR.

This was a natural progression because cables run throughout a building which means they naturally channel fire through a building.

What do the Construction Products Regulations state?

Essentially, to be CPR compliant, suppliers will have to declare the fire performance of each cable using a Euroclass grading (Aca, B1ca, B2ca, Cca, Dca, Eca, Fca.)

CPR are relevant to electric and fibre optic cables.

The cable that is being installed needs to have a CE mark, DoP reference, unique product type and include its Euroclass grading but it does not need to be on the cable itself. It needs to be clear on the packaging.

How do I decide what cable to use?

Some countries have implemented a minimum classification, some have adopted a risk assessment approach, whilst others like the UK have non minimum but recommend an Eca classification and above.

Below is a Euroclass table which should help you decide what type of cable to use on your project:

WHAT IS CPR COMPLIANCE?

CPR is a legal requirement and enforceable from 1 July 2017

Essentially, suppliers need to show they are using CPR compliant cables by providing a Declaration of Performance (DoP), showing critical information such as manufacturer’s name, product type and class met. This information must be available for up to 10 years from the date of purchase. You need to be certain that you are purchasing a product which is compliant with CPR.

The quickest way to identify a CPR compliant cable is to look for the CE Label which should now include additional information such as CPR classification. CE labels can be on the cable or the cable packaging.


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